Baldia factory tragedy: Factory fire suspect requests bail from SHC

Two hundred and sixty people were killed in the fire at Ali Enterprises garments factory in Baldia Town on September 11, 2012. The incident earlier deemed an accident, in which casualties multiplied due to the lack of safety measures, was recently termed an act of arson over non-payment of extortion. PHOTO: FILE

Two hundred and sixty people were killed in the fire at Ali Enterprises garments factory in Baldia Town on September 11, 2012. The incident earlier deemed an accident, in which casualties multiplied due to the lack of safety measures, was recently termed an act of arson over non-payment of extortion. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed on Monday the Rangers special public prosecutor and the lawyer representing applicant Zubair alias Lala alias Chariya to argue on his application for bail in the Baldia factory fire case of 2012.

A two-judge bench, headed by Justice Muhammad Farooq Shah, fixed the matter on July 18 to hear arguments from them. At least 259 workers had perished in a deadly fire that engulfed Ali Enterprises in Baldia town on September 11, 2012. The incident was termed the biggest industrial disaster in Pakistan’s history.

Zubair had approached the high court against the dismissal of his bail application by the concerned Anti-Terrorism Court where the trial against Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leaders Hammad Siddiqui, Abdul Rauf Siddiqui, Abdul Rehman alias Bhola and others is pending.

A joint investigation team had found that Zubair, a supporter of the MQM, visited the factory on the day of the incident accompanied by Waseem Dehelvi and four others.

An accountant at the factory, Muhammad Arshad, testified that he saw Zubair handing out black shopping bags to the men accompanying him. Zubair was the first to toss a bag to the side of the warehouse and the rest followed course and threw their bags in different directions. The fire erupted within a short period of time, Arshad said.

In the plea, Zubair’s lawyer, Muhammad Tamaz Khan, had argued that the trial court had rejected his client’s bail plea without considering the facts on record. He pleaded the court to set aside the trial court’s bail rejection order and grant bail to Zubair.

The Rangers special public prosecutor opposed the plea, arguing that the accused had already confessed to having set fire to the factory, thus it was not an accident. He added that over 250 workers were killed in the incident.

The prosecutor informed the court that another MQM activist, Rehman, had also been arrested in the case, while the MQM Karachi Tanzeemi Committee’s incharge Hammad Siddiqui had also been declared a proclaimed offender in the case. Therefore, he contended that the applicant was not entitled to bail, which should be rejected. The investigation officer of the case was present in the case.

The bench summoned the investigating officer along with case file on July 18. The applicant’s lawyer and Rangers special public prosecutor were directed to argue on the bail plea on the next date of the hearing.

Source: The Express Tribune